Senior IS leader killed by US and Nigerian forces

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has confirmed the killing of a senior Islamic State (IS) leader in a joint-operation with the US.

"Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State," Tinubu said in a statement.

The operation was first announced by US President Donald Trump, who described Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as the "second in command of ISIS globally" and "the most active terrorist in the world".

Al‑Minuki was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023.

The killing marks another significant setback for Islamic State group (IS) following the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi in 2019.

Tinubu said in a statement that al-Manuki was killed along with "several of his lieutenants" during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.

The basin is a huge region of waterways and swampland shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. It has long been a stronghold for Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap).

Abu-Bilal al-Manuki is believed to have been from Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. Analysts say his nickname likely came from Mainok, a town in the state, following a common regional tradition where people are identified by their hometowns or family names.

The Nigerian Military said the "precision operation" was made possible through the "recently formed US-Nigeria partnership and intelligence sharing efforts."

It said al-Minuki had been promoted to "Head of General Directorate of States", making him one of the most senior figures within the global IS hierarchy.

Before that, officials said he oversaw IS-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks targeting civilians and minority communities.

The military also linked al-Minuki to the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapping when more than 100 girls from a boarding school in north-eastern Nigeria were taken by militant group Boko Haram.

Nigeria military's spokesperson Samali Uba said he previously helped move fighters to Libya in support of IS operations in North Africa. Before pledging allegiance to IS in 2015, he was described as a senior Boko Haram commander.

Boko Haram began its military campaign to impose Islamic rule in northern Nigeria in 2009.

The group pledged its allegiance to Islamic State after what was believed to be the then-leader Abubakar Shekau posted an audio statement on Boko Haram's X account in 2015.

Its aim has been to establish a "caliphate", a state ruled by a single political and religious leader according to Islamic law, or Sharia.

Trump described al-Minuki's death as a major blow to IS's African and global networks, disrupting funding channels and command structures.

The US president thanked the Nigerian government for their "partnership", adding that Minuki "will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations to target Americans".

Nigeria and the US have increased military cooperation as the country ramps up efforts to fight extremist violence.

In April, IS claimed responsibility after gunmen killed at least 29 people at a football pitch in Nigeria's north-eastern Adamawa state.

Last Christmas, US and Nigeria carried out a joint airstrike in Nigeria's Sokoto state targeting IS-linked groups.

Speaking recently at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Tinubu defended Nigeria's growing security cooperation with international partners.

"Security challenges will always be there, those are things you cannot do alone, you cannot operate the world in isolation," he said.

"Even Trump as bold as he is, he's in China, he's talking about Taiwan, so who I am in Nigeria to say I will do it alone? I must embrace my neighbours. I must pursue pragmatic cooperation and partnerships, which is necessary to enhance the security of lives and property of our people."

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